Malware (or malicious code) is a catch-all term used to refer to various types of software that can cause problems or damage a computer. It encompasses viruses, worms, Trojan horses, macro viruses, rootkit malware, and backdoors. Malware has evolved to be increasingly more stealthy and targeted.
Malware has become stealthier, in some cases, hiding deep inside the core operating system by infecting kernel modules (e.g., rootkits). Rootkits, especially the ones executing with Ring 0 privileges are very difficult or impossible to detect by current anti-virus solutions (AVS). For example, Ring 0 rootkits may feed incorrect information to anti-virus solutions and thereby disrupt their normal functioning.
Accordingly, new approaches for protecting platforms against malware may be desired.